Summary

The HVAC system in the original section of the Community Center will be replaced with a geothermal system.
The cost estimate is $4.1 million. The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds will provide $1 million. The project is expected to qualify for $1.25 million in tax credits.
The Community Center is scheduled to close at the end of February 2025 and reopen by June 7 for the summer programs.
Senior programs will be relocated from the beginning of January 2025 to June 7.
The Farmers Market will be relocated to the rear parking lot for about six to eight weeks in January and February 2025.

Background

The Falls Church Community Center was built in 1968. In 2000, a new addition was constructed on the south side (facing the parking lot) with a separate electric HVAC system. The original building has a gas heating and electric air conditioning system that is over 40 years old. In 2023, the City Council agreed to replace this HVAC system as the maintenance had become increasingly expensive.

A new traditional HVAC system or a geothermal system?

At the July 10, 2023, City Council meeting, City Engineer Lionel Millard recommended that the City install a geothermal system for an initial estimate of $3.75 million over a gas/electric HVAC system for $3.3 million. The geothermal system would realize annual cost savings of $16,000 and help the City achieve its 2030 carbon reduction goals. In addition, the new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offered an estimated tax credit of $900,000 to further offset the cost. (The tax credit estimate was raised in August, 2024.)

At the March 11, 2024, City Council meeting, Mr. Millard reported that tests to explore the viability of installing geothermal wells were successful.

Council Member David Snyder asked if other all-electric and environmentally friendly alternatives had been considered. Mr. Millard said that their consultant had looked at solar, which was more expensive. An all-electric system without geothermal was not possible without increasing the power supply to the site because the current electrical supply would be insufficient. Then Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Zak Bradley explained that would be complicated and require Dominion Electric to run an additional line.

Installing a geothermal HVAC system – scope of work

Diagram showing how a geothermal heat pump works. — How a geothermal heat pump works in winter and summer. Source: Department of Energy website.

The new HVAC system would include five water-source heat pumps, an air-cooled chiller, hydronic piping, variable speed pumps, and 16 geothermal wells. The geothermal wells will be located around the perimeter of the building, including the front drive aisle, and go down to over 500 ft. More information on geothermal HVAC systems can be found at the Department of Energy’s website.

The indoor components are expected to last over 20 years while the ground loops last 25 to 50 years.

The scope of work includes removing the existing system, including the old duct work. Air handlers that are currently located in the ceiling of the gym will be removed so that the gym will have a new open ceiling and new LED lighting. The pictures below show the old gym and the open gym ceiling concept.

Photo of the HVAC equipment in the ceiling of the Community Center gym. — Air handlers in the ceiling of the gym are to be removed. Source: March 11, 2024, City Council presentation.

Photo of the Community Center gym envisioned after the geothermal upgrade. — The new open ceiling gym envisioned.
Source: March 11, 2024, City Council presentation.

Contracting out the work for the Community Center HVAC upgrade

In response to Mr. Snyder’s query about the contract at the August 5, 2024, City Council meeting, Mr. Millard explained that DPW did not put the project out for a bid. Instead, DPW is utilizing the contract between NOVA Facility Solutions (NFS) and the Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS) for this work.

Mr. Millard said, “We actually rode a contract from the schools to NOVA Facility Solutions who did the $2 million rooftop unit replacement project for the City public schools. I reached out to Brian Fowler who is their facilities director and he actually recommended that we use Nova Facility Solutions for this. It also really sped up the whole process because [if] had we put this out for bid, I mean, that would have been like a two-year process at least, and also we would have had a little bit less control over who gets the work from an experience standpoint if we had to use a low bid.”

Staff assured the City Council that they are complying with the City’s procurement policies and procedures. NFS will subcontract the geothermal wells to Connelly and Associates, Inc., a major geotechnical drilling firm in this region.

The latest cost estimates

Cost estimates and funding for the HVAC upgrade.
Source: August 5, 2024, City Council presentation

New cost estimates were presented at the August 5, 2024, City Council meeting. The initial cost estimate of $3.75 million has risen to $4.1 million, due to a higher increase in equipment costs than anticipated, some design changes, and the need for oversight to ensure that the project meets all the requirements for the federal tax credit. The latest cost estimates are shown in the figure.

The project will utilize $1 million from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the City and the remainder of $3.1 million will be paid from the City’s cash reserves. Some of this money has already been spent in the design phase. This funding was included in the FY 2025 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP) approved in May.

The tax credit of $1.25 million (higher than initial estimates) is expected to be received over the next two years. The City does not pay federal taxes, but this “tax credit” is a direct payment to the City under the new IRA program. This credit is expected after installation and requires careful documentation. Hence, the project has included expenses for a tax consultant to assist with this effort.

Other project costs include the cost of relocating the Parks and Recreation staff and some Community Center programs while the building is closed for this work.

Mr. Millard was asked by Council if the cost was reasonable. He responded that he had reached out to his counterpart in Fairfax County and was told that the Spring Hill Recreation Center in Vienna, about twice the size of the City’s Community Center, installed a similar system for about $8.2 million. That reassured him that the City’s project cost was reasonable.

Schedule for Community Center closure

The work will be done in two phases – the external phase and the internal phase. The dates below are approximate.

Schedule for the HVAC renovation project. — The project schedule at August 5, 2024.

External Phase – January 6 to February 24, 2025

Drilling of geothermal wells will close the drive aisle in front of the Community Center. Although the Community Center building will remain open, the daytime Senior and children’s programs will be relocated because of access difficulties and noise. Evening programs are expected to continue. The exact dates and locations will be announced later.

Today, the drive aisle provides access for emergency vehicles during the Farmers Market days. While the drive aisle is closed due to construction, the Farmers Market will be relocated to the rear parking lot, while the parking lot in front of City Hall will be available for parking and emergency vehicle access. This is expected to last 6 to 8 weeks.

Source: August 5, 2024, City Council presentation

Internal Phase – February 24 to June 7, 2025

The internal phase involves the removal of the old HVAC system and duct work and installation of the new system. The building will be closed for this work. Parks and Recreation staff will be relocated to the Oak Street Elementary School offsite classrooms. (These are currently occupied by the Levine School that is waiting to move into the West Falls development.) The goal is to reopen the building in time for the 2025 summer camps and activities.